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OKC Thunder notebook: Home advantage now in Memphis' court

Last season, the Thunder didn't lose a home playoff game until Game 2 of the NBA Finals, which turned out to be its final game of the season at Chesapeake Energy Arena. So far this season, OKC already has lost two home playoff games and has gone 3-3 at The Peake in its last six home games.

Last season, the Thunder didn't lose a home playoff game until Game 2 of the NBA Finals, which turned out to be its final game of the season at Chesapeake Energy Arena.

Oklahoma City's Kevin Durant (35) reacts in the final seconds of Game 2 in the second round of the NBA playoffs between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Memphis Grizzlies at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Tuesday, May 7, 2013. Memphis won 99-93. Photo by Sarah Phipps, The Oklahoman

So far this season, OKC already has lost two home playoff games and has gone 3-3 at The Peake in its last six home games.

“I think you have to understand there is no script for the playoffs,” said Thunder reserve guard Derek Fisher, the active career leader in postseason games with 237. “There's no script for a finished way of how you're going to win. If you want to be the best, you just figure out how to get it done no matter what circumstances you face and that's what this team has done in the past. That's what we'll have to do now.”

The Thunder was 34-7 (. 829) at home this season, the league's fourth-best record.

“You can be the greatest team in the world at home,” Fisher said, “but if you don't win that trophy, nobody's going to care. It's just about figuring out a way to get it done where you're faced with adversity, and that's what we'll have to do.”

INSIDE JOB

Thunder bigs combined for 17 fouls in Game 2. Nick Collison fouled out in just 15:22 of playing time, while Serge Ibaka had five fouls, Kendrick Perkins four and Hasheem Thabeet two.

Meanwhile, Memphis frontcourt players Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph combined for six fouls with three each and combined for 39 points and 13 rebounds (six offensive). OKC was outrebounded 43-35.

Was there anything Thunder perimeter players could have done to help alleviate foul problems for its frontcourt players?

“It starts before they get into foul trouble,” Fisher said. “There were some things I don't think we did well in terms of how we defended the Grizzlies that put our bigs in tough positions. You obviously know coming into this series the frontcourt is going to be the focal point and so I thought we did a poor job tonight of providing support and really making it difficult for the two of those guys to be effective.”